HENRY VIII ON TOUR: TUDOR PALACES AND ROYAL PROGRESSES

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The Tudor period continues to captivate and maintain a presence in popular culture. Henry VIII's reign, in particular, fascinates as much for its architectural magnificence and courtly splendour, its music, masques, tournaments and hunting parties as for its dynastic concerns, political machinations and religious controversies. 2020 will mark the quincentenary of the Field of the Cloth of Gold, described as "the most spectacular progress". It is an opportune moment not only to assess the characteristics, iconography and material culture associated with Tudor royal progresses and ceremony, but also to invite network participants, project partners and the public to engage with and reflect on what it means for us in the 21st century. This one-year research network led by Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) and the University of York (UoY) will examine the nature and significance of Henry VIII's journeys between royal residences and to parts of the realm, setting them in their political, social and cultural context and considering their implications for modern heritage practice and management. A wealth of archival and material evidence survives, yet Henry's progresses have never been systematically studied. Our network aims to recover their role within the regional and national politics of 16th century England and assess their cultural significance both on a broader international stage and at a crucial moment in the development of English Renaissance architecture, drama, art and music. Using surviving records we will track the movements of Henry VIII and his court, their impact on venues visited, and how progresses affected perceptions of access to the king in Tudor England. We will explore notions of public and private space and assess the logistical challenges entailed in supplying and accommodating an itinerant household. We will also evaluate the role of Henry's progresses in fashioning an image of the monarchy, and the consequences of the cultural and material legacy for interpretation of the Tudors as a heritage phenomenon today.The workshops and conference initiated by this network will interrogate the whole phenomenon of royal progresses with a view to identifying research priorities, exploring which themes might be most fruitfully pursued, and ascertaining the most appropriate methodologies to be employed (including digital and virtual reality technologies) in anticipation of applying for funding for a larger multi-disciplinary and collaborative project. The participating scholars and heritage experts will aim to challenge orthodoxies associated with royal progresses, enabling clearer distinction between Henry VIII's expeditions and those of his medieval predecessors and Tudor successors. In short, this network will begin the work of re-connecting Henry VIII's royal palaces (whether extant buildings or archaeological sites) with the culture of royal magnificence that created them and gave them their meaning. Tudor monarchs are central to the presentation of historic royal sites including Hampton Court and the Tower of London (HRP). This project builds on a public appetite for information on the Tudors heightened by period dramas filmed at historic locations. There is also public interest in lost Tudor palaces such as Whitehall, Nonsuch, Greenwich, and the old Palace of Westminster (subject of a major AHRC project led by Cooper). Royal residences outside London (e.g. Sudeley Castle and Beaulieu Palace) and elite houses (e.g. Greys Court and the Vyne), were built by or altered for Henry VIII and possess important architectural and archaeological remains that deserve better investigation and public presentation. HRP and UoY will use their technical expertise in creating immersive experiences through virtual and augmented reality to bring venues to life for visitors by exploring existing palaces and recreating 'lost palaces' as well as aural and visual experiences of the court on progress.